Award Winning Children's Literature: Part Two
Part Two, By Author, N-Z
Did you think you read the entire listing? Below is Part Two of the 2024-2025 award winning and notable children's books acquired this Spring on standing order through automated approval. And ... don't forget to visit the Big Bear in the Zen Rock Garden where you may curl up with a good book or two -- and stayed tuned for next year's awards!
Books Received by Author, N-R
Nadel, Estelle, Sammy Savos, and Bethany Strout. The Girl Who Sang : A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival. First edition. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press, 2024. Curriculum ; D804.196.N34 A3 2024.
- Awards:American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025; Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Middle Grade. Winner. 2025; Bulletin Blue Ribbons Awards. Graphic Novel 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nomination: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Honor 2025.
Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux. Small Shoes, Great Strides : How Three Brave Girls Opened Doors to School Equality. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 2023. Curriculum ; LC214.23.N46 N45 2023.
- Award: Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2023.
It was just the three of them and Miss Florence Meyers. Most times, only rich kids have a teacher all to themselves. Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost, and Gail Etienne were not rich. Yet, here they were. A teacher all to themselves. A classroom all to themselves. A school all to themselves. Teachers in every classroom, but no students. Just Leona, Tessie, and Gail in Miss Meyer's first-grade class.
-- Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. Small Shoes, Great Strides : How Three Brave Girls Opened Doors to School Equality.
Newman, Lesléa. Joyful Song : A Naming Story. Montclair: Levine Querido, 2024. Juvenile; PS3564.E91628 J69 2024
- Awards:American Library Association Notable Children's Bk 03/2025; Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024
Nominations: Charlotte Zolotow Award: Highly Commended. 2025; Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Picture Books. Honor. 20
I hold my baby sister gently.
Her eyes are still closed.
I take a deep breath and
recite the words that I've
practiced all week. "Because
you make our hearts sing
with happiness," I begin,
"we decided to call you.."
My sister opens her eyes
and stretches out her
little hand as though she
wants to pull her name
right out of my mouth.
"... Aliza Shira which
means 'joyful song.'"
-- Lesléa Newman, Joyful Song : A Naming Story.
Novoa, Gabe Cole, and Jane Austen. Most Ardently : A Pride & Prejudice Remix. First edition. New York, NY: A Feiwel and Friends Book, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.N687 Mo 2024.
- Nominations: Stonewall Children's & YA Literature Award. Honor. 2025
Odeh, Maysa. A Map for Falasteen. First edition. New York, NY: Henry Holt & Company, 2024. Juvenile ; PS3615.D463 M36 2024.
- Awards: Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2024; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024
Nomination: Jane Addams Book Honor 2025
"How can I be sure it's there when I've never seen it?"
"There are things in this world you haven't seen with your own eyes," Mama said. "Your heart in your chest, the air in your lungs. From her olive groves to the sea, our homeland is as real as God above. Palestine lives in you and me."
--Maysa Odeh, A Map for Falasteen.
Ogle, Rex. Road Home. First edition. New York, NY: Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company, 2024. Curriculum ; HV1431 .O35 2024.
- Awards: School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nominations: Michael L. Printz Honors for Excellence in YA Lit. 2025; Stonewall Children's & YA Literature Award. Honor. 2025.
Olitzky, Kerry M, and Deborah Bodin Cohen. An Etrog from across the Sea. Minneapolis, MN: Kar-Ben Publishing, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.O458 Et 2024.
- Awards: Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Picture Books. Winner. 2025.
O’Shaughnessy, Kate. The Wrong Way Home. First edtion. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.O8435 Wr 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Bk 03/2025; Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2024.
Nominations: Newbery Honors 2025.
Redniss, Lauren. Heatwave. First edition. New York: Random House Studio, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.R4276 He 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Rellihan, Anne. Not the Worst Friend in the World. First edition. New York: Holiday House, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.R457 No 2024.
- Awards Horn Book Fanfare List 2025.
Reno, Ginger. Find Her. First edition. New York: Holiday House, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.R4637 Fi 2024.
- Award: Rise: A Feminist Book Project. 2025.
Retener, Joëlle, and Wiley DeAnn. Marley’s Pride. Concord, MA: Barefoot Books, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.R466 Mar 2024.
- Awards: Rainbow Book List Top Ten: Young Reader 2025.
Nominations: Stonewall Children's & YA Literature Award. Honor. 2025.
Reynolds, Jason. Twenty-Four Seconds from Now ... : A Love Story. First edition. New York: Atheneum, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.R33593 Tw 2024.
- Awards: LA Top Ten Best Fiction for YA 2025; American Library Association Best Fiction for YA. 2025; Coretta Scott King Award 2025; Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Bulletin Blue Ribbons Awards. Fiction. 2024; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Ribay, Randy. Everything We Never Had. New York: Kokila, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.R5 Ev 2024.
- Awards: Asian/Pacific American Award for Lit: YA Winner 2025; Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2024; Bulletin Blue Ribbons Awards. Fiction. 2024; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Rodriguez, Edel, and Edel Rodriguez. The Mango Tree = La Mata de Mango. New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.R618835 Man 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024.
Romo, David Dorado. Borderlands and the Mexican American Story. First edition. New York: Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024. Curriculum ; E184.M5 R626 2024.
- Award: School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nomination: Orbis Pictus Honor for Outstanding Nonfiction for 2025.
Rubin, Sean. The Iguanodon’s Horn : How Artists and Scientists Put a Dinosaur Back Together Again & Again ... & Again! First edition. New York, NY: Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Curriculum ; QE862.O65 R83 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2024.
Rusch, Elizabeth. A Greater Goal : The Epic Battle for Equal Pay in Women’s Soccer-and Beyond. First edition. New York, NY: Greenwillow Books, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Curriculum ; GV943.25 .R84 2024.
Books Received by Author, S-Z
Salazar, Aida. Ultraviolet. First edition. New York, NY: Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.5.S23 Ul 2024.
- Awards:American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025; Tomas Rivera Mexican-American Children's Book Award 2025; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nominations: Pura Belpre Honor: Children & Illustration 2025.
Sass, A. J. Just Shy of Ordinary. First edition. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2024.Juvenile ; PZ7.1.S26476 Ju 2024.
- Nomination: Sydney Taylor Book Awards. Middle Grade. Honor. 2025.
Schu, John. Louder than Hunger. First edition. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.5.S38 Lo 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025; Bulletin Blue Ribbons Awards. Fiction. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nominations: Schneider Family Book Award. Middle Grade Honor. 2025.
Seal, Lauren. Light Enough to Float. New York: Rocky Pond Books, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.5.S39 Li 2024.
- Nomination: Schneider Family Book Award. Teen Honor. 2025.
Semenya, Caster. The Race to Be Myself. Young readers edition. New York, NY: Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company, 2024. Curriculum ; GV1061.15.S37 A3 2024.
- Awards: Rise: A Feminist Book Project. 2025; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Simler, Isabelle, and Lal Vineet. Home. Trans. by Vineet Lal. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2024. Curriculum ; PQ2719.I4447 M3513 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025.
Nomination: Mildred L. Batchelder Honor 2025.
Slade, Suzanne. Behold the Hummingbird. First edition. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishing Company Inc., 2024. Curriculum ; QL696.A558 S58 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2024.
Nominations: YALSA Award for Excel in Nonfiction for YA. Finalist. 2025.
Smith, Sherri L, and Christine Norrie. Pearl. First edition. New York, NY: Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., 2024. Juvenile ; PN6728.P438 S64 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Bulletin Blue Ribbons Awards. Graphic Novel 2024; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Soloy, Lauren. Tove and the Island with No Address. Toronto: Tundra, 2024. Juvenile ; PR9199.4.S6972 T68 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Bulletin Blue Ribbons Awards. Picture Books. 2024.
At the beach, the waves crashed into the sand. It was perfect weather for finding salvage. Salvage is a gift the sea gives you and can be any number of wonderful things.
First, though, Tove had to visit the grotto where her secret friend lived.Sometimes we have friends that brighten our day, or make us think, and sometimes we have friends that we have nothing in common with, but we visit them anyway. Tove's secret friend was like that.
She lay on the sand and waited until he crept out of the hole in the rock.
--Lauren Soloy, Tove and the Island with No Address.
Sortino, Anna. On the Bright Side. New York: Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.S6796 On 2024.
- Awards: YALS: Quick Picks for Reluctant YA Reader. Fiction 2025; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nominations: Schneider Family Book Award. Teen Honor. 2025.
Sterling, Zack. Mabuhay! First edition. New York: Graphix, an imprint of Scholastic, 2023. Juvenile ; PZ7.7.S744 Mab 2023.
- Award: School Library Journal Best Books 2023.
Nomination: Asian/Pacific American Award for Lit: Child Honor 2025.
Stone, Tanya Lee. Remembering Rosalind Franklin : Rosalind Franklin & the Discovery of the Double Helix Structure of DNA. First edition. New York: Christy Ottaviano Books, Little, Brown and Company, 2024. Curriculum ; QH506 .S825 2024.
- Awards: Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children, 2025 ; Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth, 2024 ; Horn Book Fanfare List, 2025 ; School Library Journal Best Books, 2024.
Sumner, Jamie. Deep Water. First edition. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.5.S86 De 2024.
- Award: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025.
Sylvester, Natalia. A Maleta Full of Treasures. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.S994 Mal 2024.
- Award: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025.
Nominations: Pura Belpre Honor: Children & Illustration 2025.
Tabor, Corey R. Fox versus Fox. First edition. New York, NY: Balzer + Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.T29 Fx 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nomination: Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor. 2025.
Teer, Samuel, and Ashanti Fortson. Brownstone. First edition. New York, NY: Versify, Harper Alley, imprints of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.7.T44 Br 2024.
- Awards: Great Graphic Novels for Teens. Top Ten. (YALSA) 2025; Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in YA Lit. 2025.
Tracy, Taylor. Murray out of Water. First edition. New York, NY: Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.5.T72 Mu 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025; Rainbow Book List Top Ten: Young Reader 2025; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nominations: Stonewall Children's & YA Literature Award. Honor. 2025.
Underwood, Deborah. The Man Who Didn’t like Animals. First edition. New York, New York: Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.U4193 Man 2024.
- Award: New York Times Best Illustrated Books for Children, 2024.
Valenti, Karla. Lola. First edtion. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.V336 Ln 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025; Pura Belpre Award: Children & Illustration. Winner 2025.
Van Wagenen, Maya. Chronically Dolores. New York, NY: Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.V3942 Ch 2024.
- Award: Schneider Family Book Award. Teen Winner. 2025.
Vishny, A. R. Night Owls. First edition. New York, NY: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.V584 Ni 2024.
- Awards: Sydney Taylor Book Awards. YA. Winner. 2025; Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2024; NJBA: YA Literature. Winner. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Wang, Ann Suk. The House before Falling into the Sea. New York, NY: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024. Juvenile ; PS3623.A45665 H68 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Watson, Renée. Black Girl You Are Atlas. New York: Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Curriculum ; PS3623.A87335 B58 2024.
- Awards: Bank Street College: Claudia Lewis Award. 2025; Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Rise: A Feminist Book Project. 2025; YALS: Quick Picks for Reluctant YA Reader. Nonfiction 2025; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024
Nominations: Coretta Scott King Honors 2025.
Watson, Renée. Cicely Tyson. First edition. New York: Amistad Books for Young Readers, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Curriculum ; PN2287.T97 W38 2024.
- Award: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025.
Westergaard, Azadeh. The One & Only Googoosh : Iran’s Beloved Superstar. New York: Viking, 2024. Curriculum ; ML3930.G67 W47 2024.
- Awards: Bank Street College: Flora Stieglitz Straus Award. 2025; Horn Book Fanfare List 2025.
Weston, Kate. Diary of a Confused Feminist : A Novel. First Simon&Schuster BFYR edition. New York: Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.W43753 Di 2024.
- Award: Rise: A Feminist Book Project. 2025.
Whitley, Jeremy, Cassio Ribeiro, and Nikki Foxrobot. Navigating with You. Miami, FL: Maverick, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.7.W545 Nav 2024.
- Awards:Great Graphic Novels for Teens. Top Ten. (YALSA) 2025; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nominations: Stonewall Children's & YA Literature Award. Honor. 2025.
Wibowo, Jessica, and Jacinta Wibowo. Lunar Boy. First Edition. New York, NY: Harper Alley, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.7.W546 Lu 2024.
- Awards: Mike Morgan-Larry Romans Children's & YA Lit Award 2025; Rainbow Book List Top Ten: Young Reader 2025.
Williams, Alicia. Mid-Air. First edition. New York, New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division, 2024.
Juvenile ; PZ7.5.W535 Mi 2024.
- Awards: Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Booklist Editor's Choice/Books for Youth 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Williams, Ismée. Abuelo, the Sea, and Me. First edition. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.W546 Ab 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025.
Nominations: Pura Belpre Honor: Children & Illustration 2025.
Winston, Sherri. Shark Teeth. New York, NY: Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.W7536 Sh 2024.
- Awards: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Yang, Gene Luen. Lunar New Year Love Story. First edition. New York: First Second, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.7.Y35 Lu 2024.
- Awards: Great Graphic Novels for Teens. Top Ten. (YALSA) 2025; Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; Bulletin Blue Ribbons Awards. Graphic Novel 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nominations: Asian/Pacific American Award for Lit: YA Honor 2025.
Yasuda, Anita. Up, Up, Ever Up! : Junko Tabei : A Life in the Mountains. First edition. New York, NY: Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2024. Curriculum ; GV199.92.T3 Y37 2024.
- Awards:American Library Association Notable Children's Bk 03/2025; Horn Book Fanfare List 2025; CSMCL. Best Books. 2024; New York Times Best Illustrated Books for Children 2024; School Library Journal Best Books 2024.
Nomination: Caldecott Honors 2025.
Yoo, Paula. Rising from the Ashes : Los Angeles, 1992 : Edward Jae Song Lee, Latasha Harlins, Rodney King, and a City on Fire. First edition. New York: Norton Young Readers, an imprint of W.W. Norton & Company, 2024. Curriculum ; F869.L89 Y66 2024.
- Award: YALSA Award for Nonfiction, 2025.
Zaldívar, Bessie Flores. Libertad. New York, New York: Dial Books, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.Z344 Li 202.
- Nomination: Pura Belpre Honor: YA 2025.
Zoboli, Giovanna. Mr. Lepron’s Mystery Soup. Trans. by Denise Muir. First US edition. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Studio, an imprint of Candlewick Press, 2024. Juvenile ; PZ7.1.Z714 Mr 2024.
- Award: American Library Association Notable Children's Book 2025.
Nomination: Mildred L. Batchelder Honor 2025.
Part Two, Listing by Author, N-Z
Fiction Titles, 39
Non Fiction Titles, 15
Subtotal: 54 Titles
Parts One and Two, by Author, A-Z
Fiction Titles, 97
Non Fiction Titles, 39
Total: 136 Titles
See Part One.
